Improvement in coffin-fastenings



A. T. LARGE Coffin-Fastening.

Patented June18, I878.

\LPETERS, PMOTQLITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ANDREW T. LARGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN COFFlN-FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,904, dated June 18, 1878 application filed February 8, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW T. LARGE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sliding Tops for Ooffins, laskets, and Burial-Cases, of which the following is a specification:

The object of the invention is to provide improved means of fastening on the tops of UOflIHS and all kinds of burial-cases, and to render their removal and readjustment easy, and to dispense with the use of screws to fasten them on, and with sliding glass to get access to the corpse.

The invention consists in the arrangement of rods made fast upon the under side of a coflin-top, in combination with a slotted piece made fast to the inside of the foot-board of a coffin, and with a bridge across the coffin, made fast at each end with screws or dovetail to the inside of the upper edge of the sides of the coffin, with slots for the rods to work in, and a hook at the head to make the end of the top fast, and in the particular arrangement of these several parts.

In the accompanying drawing, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the top, bottom, head, and foot boards, and a separate view of the slotted piece 13, as well as a view of the same made fast in its proper position to the inside of the foot-board. Fig. 2 is an under-side View of the top of a coffin with the rods and braces attached, and a staple, L, for the hook L at the head, and is intended to show their several positions. Fig. 3 is the body of the coffin, and is intended to show the position of the bridge A. Fig. 4 is an end View' of the bridge.

The bridge A is of sufficient length to span the coffin near the center. It may be provided with a lug upon each end, whereby it may be made fast with screws to the inside of the upper edge of the sides of the coffin; or it may be made to fit in dovetails in the same position. It is provided with slots S S, one near each end, horizontal, having an opening near the outer end of the slot of sufficient size to admit the rods 0 c easily; and when c c c are small metallic rods of suitable length for the size of the coffin, bent to a right angle at both ends, and the bent ends riveted or screwed into the braces b I) b b, whereby they are made fast to the under side of the coffin-top, the bent part on the rear end of the rods being shorter than that on the front end, so as to give the rear end an inclination toward the under side of the top. The front ends of 0 and c are placed farther apart than the openings of S S, the rear ends not so far apart as the openings ,of S S. The sides of c are flattened near the front end, so that it will easily pass the opening into slot B.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to adjust the top to the cofiin, 0 is caused to pass into slot B at the flattened part; then a forward movement of the top Will cause cand c to approach and pass into the openings of -S S and laterally under the projections of S S.

The plane of the rods 0 c 0 being at an acute angle to the plane of the under side of the top, the forward movement of the top and of the rods 0 c c in the slots S S and B will draw the top down tight upon the coffin, and when closed the top is made fast at the head by means of the hook L.

When it is desired to remove the top the hook L is loosened, and the top may be easily shoved back until the rods 0 c approach the openings of S S, when they may be raised out of S S and the top shoved farther back until the flattened part of 0" approaches slot B, when the top may be lifted 011'.

I claim The rods 0 c c and braces b b b b and catch at the head of the top, all made fast, as described, upon the under side of a coffin-top,

in combination with'the slotted piece B and the bridge A, slotted at S S, and the hook L, all as and for the purpose set forth.

ANDREW T. LARGE.

Witnesses:

HENRY H. THORNTON, I T. H. LARGE. 

